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Dear Editor, Grapevine trunk diseases (GTDs) are caused by a broad range of taxonomically unrelated fungi that occur wherever grapes are grown and are the main biotic factor limiting vineyard productivity and longevity (Bertsch et al., 2013). GTDs cause untenable economic losses to the grapevine industry worldwide. For example, they are considered a ‘national crisis’ in France, where it has been estimated that 12% of the vineyards are currently economically nonviable due to these maladies causing losses of about€ 1 billion (Lorch, 2014). Because GTDs are chronic and there is currently no option to eradicate the infections, unproductive vineyards must be replanted, at a worldwide annual cost estimate of€ 14132 billion (Hofstetter et al., 2012). The establishment, progress, severity and spread of GTDs have been associated with (i) drought,(ii) limited availability of effective fungicides,(iii) pressure to increase yields,(iv) lack of pruning wound protection due to cost of labour, and/or (v) poor low-quality propagation material. Growers are demanding solutions. Many vineyards with high GTD incidence were planted in the mid-to-late 1990s, during which wine-grape prices were increasing (Volpe et al., 2008). These vineyards were being replanted in the wake of phylloxera, and nurseries could barely meet the demand for grape plants. In 2009 researchers declared the worldwide impact of GTDs and prioritized research goals (Bertsch et al., 2009). Despite scientific advances, there are still unanswered questions, for example about how the pathogens spread and which climate conditions favour infection. This limits the efficacy of GTD management …